Why the Past is Seen as Better

[Rico]

Originally Posted by Pianoman

I posted this before on NFCF, but there is a great story concerning the Steinway piano.

Henry Steinway is now 91 years old, and was once the president and CEO of Steinway.

He tells the story that when he was just a lad in the 1920's, he heard folks say that Steinway pianos were made better in the late 1800's.

When he become president around 1950, folks were saying that Steinways made in the 1920's were the best.

When he sold the company in 1980s, folks were saying that the 1950's era Steinways were the best!

In each case it was the 30 years before current time that things were at their best!

The truth is that today's Steinways are the best because they use modern technology to make them even more precise in manufacturing. They are still hand made, but they are constantly coming up with new and better ways to build them.

I still hear folks say that the old Steinways are better than the new ones!

Dat's because an instrument's sound improves with age. At least I know that's true for guitars.

[StillStanding]

Originally Posted by Rico

Dat's because an instrument's sound improves with age. At least I know that's true for guitars.

Steinway ages their wood for years before its cut to be part of the piano.

That being said, you are correct that wood improves with age. BUT........the wood that is part of the action can warp and have cell collapse over time. The old ones may sound good, but they can play awful. The action begins to play "tired"!

Also, the crown on the soundboard of a piano collapses over time from extreme down pressure (20 tons!) which diminishes the energy of the sound.

That is why older violins and guitars are sold at premium prices, but a piano becomes vertually worthless. Violins and guitars are low pressure instruments.

Instrument are like humans. They live longer without high pressure!

[ILG]

Originally Posted by Rico

I think a lot of it has to do with selective memory. The good old days weren't always good is a line in a Billy Joel song, but I find it to be true. Just remember that 20 years from now today will be the good old days.

But I think there *are* some things that contemporary society has lost and often Christians link these things with godliness and holiness and I think that is also true to some degree. Unfortunatly I think Christians can hold to tight to an ideal and miss the 'program' because we can ebb and flow with some things and still hold to Christian principles.